Iranian Journal of Materials Science and Engineering

In the present research, thixoforming route was carried out in order to enhance the microstructural features of LM28 piston alloy. Typical microstructure of this alloy was composed of coarse, polygonal primary silicon particles, eutectic matrix and intermetallic phases. Thermal analysis was carried out to study the solidification path of the base alloy and determine the major arrest temperatures of metallurgical reactions. Continuous and iso-thermal mechanical stirring were utilized to produce non-dendritic LM28 alloy feedstock for further processing. The rheocast samples were subjected to a rotation speed of 450 rpm. The slugs machined from the solidified rheocast specimens were heated in the mushy zone temperature and then were thixoformed via a laboratory press. The thixoformed specimens show a relatively homogenous microstructure and present no evidence of porosities. Fine, blocky primary silicon and Fe-rich intermetallic particles were uniformly distributed in the matrix of LM28 alloy. Optical microscope and scanning electron microscope linked with EDX were used to investigate the microstructure of specimens

Aluminum matrix composites are candidate materials for aerospace and automotive industries owing to their specific properties such as high elastic modulus (E), improved strength and low wear rate. The effect of thixoforming process on the wear behavior of an Al-Mg₂Si composite was studied in this paper. During applying thixoforming process, casting defects  such as macrosegration, shrinkage and porosity are being effectively reduced. These advantages are sufficient to attract more exploration works of thixoforming operation. Thermal analysis of the composite, as-cast microstructure, wear surface and subsurface area of the thixoformed alloy were  investigated. Wear behavior of  the specimens were examined using a pin-on-disk machine  based on ASTM-G99, at the applied loads of 25, 50 and 75 N and the constant sliding velocity of 0.25m/s. The worn surfaces and subsurfaces were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The experimental results indicated that the thixoformed specimens exhibited superior wear resistance than the as-cast alloy. Moreover, the dominant wear mechanism is an adhesive wear followed by the formation of a mechanical mixed layer (MML). However, a severer wear regime occurs in the as cast specimens compared with the thixoformed ones